Sweden, a major donor country that has recognized Palestine as a state, warns Tuesday that any US decision to withdraw funds to the UN agency for Palestinians would be destabilizing for the Middle East.
Sweden’s UN Ambassador Olof Skoog says he has raised his concerns with US Ambassador Nikki Haley following reports that the US administration had withheld $125 million in funds due on January 1 for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinians.
“My concern is that as we talk about regional stability, withdrawing funding for UNRWA would be very negative, both in terms of humanitarian needs of over five million people but also of course it would be destabilizing for the region,” Skoog tells reporters at UN headquarters.
The Swedish ambassador says he did not rule out raising the issue at the Security Council, which is scheduled to hold its regular meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on January 25.
US President Donald Trump earlier this month threatened to cut US aid to the Palestinians, saying on Twitter that Washington gets “no appreciation or respect” from the Palestinians.
— AFP
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